Ben Whittaker closed out 2023 in fashion, recording one of many knockouts of the yr when he blasted out Stiven Leonetti Dredhaj in 4 rounds in December.
Olympic silver medallist Whittaker is simply 5 bouts into his skilled profession. However he’s formidable.
Over the course of the yr forward he desires to select up his first professional titles and is concentrating on the winner of the February 3 Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez struggle.
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Recent from an emphatic knockout victory, light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker discusses his resounding win over his opponent Stiven Leonetti Dredhaj and what 2024 has in retailer.
“That is who we’re heading for. You may by no means know what is going on on on this sport however domestically, it is actually good,” Whittaker instructed Sky Sports activities.
“You’ve got obtained so many names. So for me after all you are going to head for the winner, the winner of that, not the loser. However both or, the winner or the loser continues to be a fantastic title for the followers as effectively. So it will be good hopefully.”
Of the belts he is gunning for, he mentioned: “The British, it will be good to tick that one off, British, possibly European.
“Hopefully after we tick a few these off, world titles. We’ll get there gradual and regular.
“Hold profitable, preserve performing after which when it is all mentioned and accomplished hopefully I am going to obtain what I need to obtain.”
He added: “I’ve obtained the velocity, the fashion, the abilities, and I’ve nonetheless obtained the age on my aspect as effectively. So it is trying fairly good.”
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Ben Whittaker makes fairly the doorway as he has a piano and a ballerina for his ring stroll.
From Wolverhampton, Whittaker, alongside new European champion Tyler Denny, seems to be a part of a revival of boxing within the Midlands.
He would relish taking up Ricky Summers for the English light-heavyweight title.
“He is a neighborhood man, so a neighborhood derby there,” Whittaker mentioned of Summers. “He is gone a bit lacking however he may need simply needed a little bit of outing.”
Summers misplaced to now British champion Dan Azeez and was defeated in a 2017 British title problem by Frank Buglioni.
“If individuals can type that out, that might be a fantastic struggle,” mentioned Whittaker, who hopes to field subsequent in February. “It might be nice on my resume, somebody like that.”
Southampton’s Lewis Edmondson known as out Whittaker immediately forward of his final struggle. “I did not even know who he was [before]. It is the primary time I’ve ever been known as a golden goose so I prefer it. It is a praise,” the Wolverhampton man mentioned. “However get in line like all people else.
“If I obtained drawn into all that foolish nonsense, I would not have carried out the way in which I carried out. That simply reveals tunnel imaginative and prescient – I’ve obtained to go struggle by struggle, daily and if I preserve performing like that, the sky is the restrict.
“It is solely pure that individuals need that spot [which he’s in], they need the limelight. They need individuals speaking about them. So preventing me, it will not occur however beating me – it places them in that place.
“So I am unable to actually knock anybody or fault anybody for doing that. I might do it myself.”
However he added: “I am trying up not down actually. Anybody who can get me a rating, who is an effective title, a belt of some type, that for me could be nice.”
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Watch footage from contained in the ropes as Ben Whittaker delivers a dramatic knockout victory in Bournemouth.
Knockout of the yr?
In his final struggle, Whittaker did carry out, ending Leonetti Dredhaj with an incredible mixture for top-of-the-line knockouts of 2023.
“The spotlight reel knockout,” Whittaker mentioned. “That is what we need to do, get these eye-catching moments.
“Taking a few rounds to interrupt him down, get him out of there, confirmed the event, it confirmed what I am engaged on and hopefully extra of that for 2024.”
It was a reminder that Whittaker can strike with devastating pressure.
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Ben Whittaker dissects his clear knockout of Stiven Dredhaj and simply precisely how approached the sunshine heavyweight showdown.
“The arrange was actually good. I did a throwaway jab, simply to get his response,” he defined.
“What I did effectively throughout the remainder of the rounds – I saved stepping again, saved stepping again, a bit of push away and that little push away allowed him to fall in a bit of bit, fall in a bit of bit after which the throwaway jab made him suppose I used to be going to push away, he ran in and I simply stayed there, lay again, proper hand-left hook.
“I discovered from my final struggle as a result of the final man I wobbled him with a straight proper however I did not put the left hook on, so it reveals I am evolving little by little and the left hook’s what actually ended the present.”
Showboating is a weapon
It isn’t simply the knockouts which have garnered consideration. Whittaker has generated headlines, and attracted criticism, for his in-ring showboating.
However there’s a technique to it. He makes use of it to attract in his opponents.
“I do know I can put a disciplined boxing efficiency on. After I’m sparring I am clearly not at all times showboating, trying away, I do know for sure individuals it really works proper now. It labored excellent for that man [Dredhaj]. It aggravated him a bit of bit, pissed off him and that is how I obtained the knockout,” Whittaker famous.
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Ben Whittaker watches again a number of the most entertaining boxing showboats and admits he could have taken some inspiration for his subsequent struggle.
“He was attempting, even once I was hurting him, he was attempting to struggle again. My earlier struggle, as quickly as he felt a punch, he simply tucked up, he did not need to know. These are the toughest ones typically as a result of they’re already braced for the photographs so it is prepared arduous to harm them.
“A man like this the place he is opening up, you may choose them aside and, like I mentioned, that is all she wrote.”
With regards to taking part in as much as the group, he continued: “We do not do it simply to indicate off, though it would appear like it.
“It is really a gameplan and for sure individuals it will work. Some individuals will simply look proper by way of it and that is when it’s important to return to your boxing.”
Doubt about his true mettle is one thing Whittaker is completely satisfied to shrug off.
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Ben Whittaker responds to criticism of his in-ring showboating including that it is at all times been his preventing fashion, even at Olympic degree.
“You at all times get critics, you at all times get feedback. I feel if you have not obtained critics, you are not doing one thing proper. A few of them discuss as in the event that they know every thing however it’s simply their opinion and I am unable to want no dangerous on them actually,” he mentioned.
“I would come throughout a bit flashy and blah, blah, blah and all the remaining however I am ensuring I am working arduous and staying level-headed. In case you get misplaced into all that then you definately get came upon.
“I simply want to remain switched on and the boxing speaks for itself.
“It should all pan out once I win a world title and I beat the individuals I am purported to beat and I sail off into the sundown, they will say; ‘Oh that Ben Whittaker was good.'”